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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: board · pass · suit · file · ruler · straw · hand · mark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. file — a tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pass — a permit
  5. board — a committee
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — to get on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. file — a line of people
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. file — a document
  22. mark — a grade
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. straw — dry grass

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