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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to click
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — a video
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ground — crushed
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fork — in a road
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. branch — a division
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. ground — a position
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mouse — for a computer

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