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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. clip — for paper
  9. current — of water
  10. clip — a video
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cue — for pool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. current — happening now
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pass — a permit
  23. current — electric
  24. sharp — exactly

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