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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · rule · jam · can · pitcher · pass · clip · suit

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — government
  7. suit — clothes
  8. clip — a video
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. clip — for paper
  21. suit — to fit
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com