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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — to eat
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — to rip
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chip — for betting
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — to cut
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. staff — employees
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — to paddle
  24. tear — from crying

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