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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. clip — for paper
  5. snap — to click
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lie — to recline
  20. net — after costs
  21. clip — to cut
  22. net — in sport
  23. clip — a video
  24. net — for catching

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