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

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. clip — a video
  6. drill — army training
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ball — a dance
  17. clip — for paper
  18. ball — a great time

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