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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bank — for money
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bat — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. bank — for money
  20. spell — magic
  21. clip — a video
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lean — thin

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