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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. present — there
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. game — wild animals
  11. face — to confront
  12. game — a match
  13. suit — to fit
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ball — a great time
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. swing — in golf
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. clip — for paper
  23. suit — in cards
  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