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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. kick — in football
  5. pass — a permit
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rock — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. clip — a video
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. shower — rain
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rock — a stone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — for measuring

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