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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. clip — for paper
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wake — a trail
  12. content — happy
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. toast — bread
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. charge — in control
  23. content — the amount
  24. toast — a drink to someone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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