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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mate — to breed
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. clip — a video
  7. season — in sport
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mate — a partner
  18. season — of the year

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