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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. present — the time now
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bore — to drill
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — there
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — a gift
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. net — after costs
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  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