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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — music
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. clip — to cut
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — a company
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. march — the month
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. clip — a video
  17. firm — decided
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ball — a dance
  20. suit — in cards
  21. firm — steady
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — to fit
  24. club — for golf

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