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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. clip — to cut
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — for money
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. firm — decided
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — steady
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mouse — the animal

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