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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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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: ruler · temple · straw · stick · bass · deal · spell · pass

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bass — the fish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bass — low music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. spell — letters
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spell — magic
  24. pass — to spend time

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