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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. clip — for paper
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. clip — a video
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chair — a professorship

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