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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. saw — the tool
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mate — a partner
  5. clip — a video
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rock — a stone
  10. clip — for paper
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pass — a permit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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