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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. net — for catching
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. spring — the season
  11. clip — a video
  12. net — in sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. charge — in control
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spring — of water
  19. clip — to cut
  20. net — after costs
  21. rest — what's left
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — a price

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