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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. clip — a video
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — a tool
  5. scale — in music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ball — a great time
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bound — obliged
  20. race — a contest
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. clip — for paper
  23. ball — a dance
  24. clip — to cut

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