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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cue — a hint
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rule — a law
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rule — government
  12. foot — a measure
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. clip — for paper
  20. snap — to click
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pop — soda
  23. rule — to rule out
  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