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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · clip · lash · face · pass · object · pitch · spell

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. object — a thing
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. clip — for paper
  4. spell — a short time
  5. face — to confront
  6. object — an aim
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitch — completely
  10. spell — letters
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. object — to protest
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pass — a permit
  18. face — part of the head
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spell — magic
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. patient — a sick person
  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