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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. game — wild animals
  4. staff — a stick
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — newspapers
  10. clip — a video
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to click
  15. game — a match
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — a publisher
  18. clip — to cut
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. press — to push
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pass — a permit
  24. clip — for paper

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