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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: leaves · field · tube · clip · craft · mouse · pass · wound

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. field — a subject
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. field — for sport
  9. clip — for paper
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. field — farmland
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. clip — to cut
  20. wound — an injury
  21. tube — a container
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. clip — a video
  24. leaves — lets stay

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