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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · wound · firm · mug · wake · rest · suit · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. clip — for paper
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mug — to rob
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — to cut
  11. firm — a company
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — a face
  20. suit — to fit
  21. firm — decided
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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