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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bore — to drill
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rush — hurry
  14. kid — child
  15. bore — to tire
  16. clip — a video
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. staff — employees
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. clip — to cut

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