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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: clip · mate · bulb · rock · staff · land · scale · pass

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mate — to breed
  7. land — a country
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. staff — employees
  10. land — to come down
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. scale — in music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. clip — for paper
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — ground

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