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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — a permit
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. saw — the tool
  8. clip — a video
  9. rock — music
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. saw — the tool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rock — a stone
  19. charge — in control
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — of the sea

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