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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. clip — for paper
  8. wake — a trail
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. current — electric
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. clip — a video
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pass — a permit
  17. current — happening now
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. current — of water
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. bulb — of a plant

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