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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cue — a signal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cue — for pool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. file — a tool
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bear — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cue — a hint
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. suit — clothes

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