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

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pop — to visit
  6. clip — a video
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — of a king
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bank — for money
  13. court — for sport
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pop — music
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. court — of law
  24. mouse — the animal

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