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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.

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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bulb — for light
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — the underground
  11. clip — a video
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — clothes

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