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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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. mouse — for a computer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. clip — a video
  6. pop — soda
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mug — a cup
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. shower — rain
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pop — to visit
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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