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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. board — a committee
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bound — certain
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stock — goods
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. board — to get on
  14. stock — shares
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. root — of a word
  17. bound — tied together
  18. root — the cause
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. clip — a video
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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