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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — for betting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — of a king
  5. clip — a video
  6. chip — to eat
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. clip — to cut
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — a thing
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. clip — for paper
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. object — an aim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — to recline
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — a permit

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