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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. clip — a video
  5. suit — in cards
  6. clip — for paper
  7. craft — a skill
  8. swing — music
  9. snap — to click
  10. march — the month
  11. cue — a signal
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — to fit
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. march — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. march — the month
  22. cue — a hint
  23. swing — to play on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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