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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. clip — for paper
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. chest — of your body
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chest — a box
  20. suit — in cards
  21. clip — a video
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. clip — to cut

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