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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — a stone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — boats
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. clip — to cut
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rest — a break
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. date — the fruit
  24. clip — a video

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