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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. clip — a video
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. clip — to cut
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. clip — for paper
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitch — completely
  21. row — to paddle
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. row — a line

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