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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bass — low music
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rest — what's left
  12. clip — a video
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bass — the fish
  17. charge — a price
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. clip — for paper
  22. charge — in control
  23. rest — a break
  24. sharp — clever

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