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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. chest — of your body
  5. staff — employees
  6. pop — soda
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pop — to visit
  11. chest — of your body
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. clip — a video
  18. chest — a box
  19. staff — employees
  20. snap — to click
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pop — music
  24. pass — to succeed

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