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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. craft — boats
  6. clip — a video
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. clip — for paper
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. present — a gift
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. clip — to cut
  21. wax — to grow
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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