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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. court — for sport
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. court — of a king
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. clip — a video
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. court — of law
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. straw — dry grass

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