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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spring — of water
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. board — a committee
  19. spring — a coil
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. spring — the season
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. board — to get on
  24. lash — an eyelash

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