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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.

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
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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 · rest · staff · leaves · pass · wake · roll · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rest — what's left
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. squash — the sport
  8. roll — a cake
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pass — a permit
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. clip — a video
  21. staff — employees
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. clip — to cut

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