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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. charge — in control
  3. face — to point toward
  4. content — happy
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. clip — to cut
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — part of the head
  11. charge — a price
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — the amount
  18. clip — a video
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pound — a weight

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