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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. swing — to play on
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. clip — for paper
  8. saw — the tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — in cards
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. clip — to cut
  18. saw — the tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. snap — to click
  21. deal — to handle
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. swing — music

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