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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 · cabinet · pass · cell · object · racket · plane · rush

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cell — in biology
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. clip — a video
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cell — a phone
  14. clip — for paper
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. clip — to cut
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. object — to protest

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