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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. saw — the tool
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. board — to get on
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. calf — a young animal

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