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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rush — hurry
  9. board — a committee
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. board — to get on
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chip — for betting
  22. clip — a video
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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