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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.

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: pass · sharp · clip · game · object · wave · board · ruler

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. clip — for paper
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. game — a match
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pass — a permit
  16. object — an aim
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. clip — a video
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. object — a thing

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