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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. clip — a video
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fork — in a road
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bass — low music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — to cut
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. safe — out of danger

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