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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. press — newspapers
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. staff — a stick
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — to push
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. clip — a video
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — a publisher
  22. staff — employees
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — to fit

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