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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. kick — in football
  6. pass — a permit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — in music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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