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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mate — a friend
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stand — to bear
  5. scale — in music
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mate — to breed
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. key — in music
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. bowl — to roll

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