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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. clip — for paper
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. clip — a video
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bear — to put up with

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