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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.

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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. chair — a leader
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — lets stay

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