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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — hasty
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. clip — for paper
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rock — a stone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rock — music
  22. clip — to cut
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — a permit

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