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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. kick — in football
  3. pass — a permit
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. board — a committee
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. clip — a video
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. board — to get on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kick — a thrill

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