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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lean — thin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — a position
  10. clip — to cut
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fine — all right
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. clip — a video
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. clip — for paper
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. fine — high quality

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