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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. kick — in football
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. clip — to cut
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — a permit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. foot — a measure
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rest — what's left
  19. clip — a video
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rest — what's left
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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