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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. march — the month
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — child
  7. ground — crushed
  8. kid — to tease
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rash — a series
  16. ground — a position
  17. lie — to recline
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stand — on your feet

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