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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bulb — for light
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bulb — for light
  17. clip — for paper
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. clip — a video
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stand — on your feet

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