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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hand — in cards
  8. saw — the tool
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hand — help
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. arm — a part of something

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