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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. clip — a video
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. clip — to cut
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rock — music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. last — to go on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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