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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — an aim
  4. lean — thin
  5. clip — to cut
  6. lean — to bend
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — clothes
  21. clip — a video
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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