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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.

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: clip · pass · lie · wake · coach · wave · foot · date

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. date — the fruit
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. foot — a measure
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. clip — for paper
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. coach — a trainer

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