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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: present · ball · can · rest · straw · pass · row · object

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — an aim
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pass — a permit
  7. object — to protest
  8. present — a gift
  9. ball — a great time
  10. present — there
  11. object — a thing
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. row — a line
  14. can — a tin
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. row — to paddle
  19. present — the time now
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rest — a break
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. row — a quarrel

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