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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — for paper
  3. firm — steady
  4. clip — a video
  5. ground — a position
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. shower — rain
  10. rule — a law
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. firm — decided
  15. rule — government
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. firm — a company
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — a permit
  24. clip — to cut

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