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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. clip — for paper
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. march — the month
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. march — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — a video
  18. march — the month
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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