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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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — steady
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. clip — a video
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. clip — to cut
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. firm — a company
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. band — a ring
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. band — a music group
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. clip — for paper
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. march — music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wave — of the sea

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