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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rest — a break
  6. clip — to cut
  7. foot — a measure
  8. clip — for paper
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. present — a gift
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — there
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. present — the time now
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. clip — a video
  24. pass — a permit

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