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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. root — the cause
  3. chest — of your body
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chest — a box
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — of a word
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. clip — a video
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rush — hurry
  14. clip — for paper
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. toast — bread
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chest — of your body

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