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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. clip — to cut
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cap — of ice
  13. toast — bread
  14. clip — a video
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. clip — for paper
  17. pass — a permit
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cap — a lid
  22. roll — a list
  23. swing — to play on
  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