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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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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: pass · bowl · rule · calf · net · clip · present · ball

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rule — a law
  9. clip — for paper
  10. net — after costs
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rule — government
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. clip — a video
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. present — a gift
  24. bowl — a football final

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