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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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 · hide · clip · racket · saw · pass · bear · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hand — help
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. clip — for paper
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. clip — to cut
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. clip — a video
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. leaves — to go away

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