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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. clip — a video
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. land — to come down
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — in football
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pass — a permit
  12. clip — to cut
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. land — ground
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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