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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. season — of the year
  4. clip — for paper
  5. mate — to breed
  6. clip — a video
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — in sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. clip — to cut
  24. ruler — for measuring

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