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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wake — a trail
  3. toast — bread
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. march — the month
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. march — the month
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. last — final
  15. clip — a video
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. last — to go on
  19. march — music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. clip — to cut
  24. last — finally

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