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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: mouse · stand · track · bay · clip · lash · wave · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. track — a song
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. clip — for paper
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stand — to bear
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rest — a break
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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