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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. clip — a video
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. vault — a safe

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