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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. clip — for paper
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — high quality
  11. last — final
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — finally
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. saw — the tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fine — all right
  19. clip — to cut
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. saw — the tool
  24. clip — a video

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