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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. present — the time now
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. present — there
  6. bound — obliged
  7. clip — a video
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. clip — to cut
  20. staff — employees
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. present — a gift
  23. pitch — completely
  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