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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — rain
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — a video
  9. suit — in cards
  10. shower — to wash
  11. clip — for paper
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. clip — to cut

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