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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · racket · object · can · capital · stick · clip · sharp

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. clip — for paper
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. clip — a video
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. capital — a city
  8. object — a thing
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. can — to be able to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. capital — money
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. object — an aim
  23. clip — to cut
  24. object — to protest

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