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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 120 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: racket · wake · clip · wave · key · stand · temple · bear

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. clip — a video
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. key — the most important part
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. clip — for paper
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. clip — to cut
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. key — in music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bear — the animal

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