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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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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: bore · clip · deal · bulb · stick · leaves · staff · wave

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. clip — to cut
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bore — to tire
  8. clip — for paper
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — a stick
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — to drill
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — a video
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bulb — of a plant

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