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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cue — for pool
  11. clip — a video
  12. cue — a hint
  13. clip — for paper
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. suit — to fit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. clip — to cut
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. face — to confront
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. can — to be able to

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