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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bound — certain
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bound — tied together
  7. chip — to eat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spell — letters
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chip — for betting
  17. spell — magic
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. kick — in football
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. spell — a short time

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