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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a dance
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — a permit
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. game — wild animals
  14. ball — a great time
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. game — a match
  17. snap — to click
  18. calf — of the leg

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