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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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Word bank
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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: bat · suit · wave · wake · clip · cabinet · fine · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. clip — to cut
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — low music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — a trail
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fine — high quality
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. clip — a video
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bat — the animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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