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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: game · face · pass · rash · clip · straw · safe · bore

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bore — to drill
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — to tire
  10. clip — a video
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rash — a series
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. game — a match
  19. rash — hasty
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. clip — for paper

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