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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.

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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: bat · cue · pass · chip · bark · wax · rest · clip

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — the animal
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rest — what's left
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rest — a break
  22. bark — to shout
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wax — for sculpting

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