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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. clip — to cut
  5. rash — hasty
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rash — a series
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — a price
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pass — a permit
  13. charge — in control
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cap — of ice
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cap — a hat
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. clip — a video

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