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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. spell — magic
  4. squash — the sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. snap — to click
  9. branch — a division
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. clip — to cut
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. clip — a video
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. racket — for tennis

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