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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — a grade
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. object — an aim
  6. scale — size or range
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. clip — to cut
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — in football
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. clip — a video
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. clip — for paper

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