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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. clip — a video
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pound — a weight
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. club — for golf
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. clip — for paper
  18. club — a group
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. club — for dancing
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. calf — a young 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