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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — a trail
  9. present — the time now
  10. clip — to cut
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. present — there
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pass — a permit
  20. clip — for paper
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. clip — a video

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