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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — an aim
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. object — a thing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — to protest
  14. club — a group
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for golf
  23. clip — a video
  24. lean — thin

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