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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. race — humankind
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wax — to grow
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. kick — in football
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stand — to bear
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. race — a contest
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — a permit
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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