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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. clip — for paper
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ground — the earth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. clip — a video
  18. object — a thing
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chair — a leader
  21. clip — to cut
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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