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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. can — a tin
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. suit — to fit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. roll — a cake
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — bread
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. clip — for paper
  24. roll — a list

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