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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. club — a group
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. key — in music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — an aim
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — a hint
  13. clip — a video
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. clip — to cut
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. object — to protest
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. club — for golf
  22. clip — for paper
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cue — a signal

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