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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — for paper
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pound — a weight
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. face — to confront
  20. clip — to cut
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rock — music
  24. craft — a handicraft

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