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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. capital — money
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — a measure
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — clever
  19. clip — for paper
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. capital — a city

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