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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — a permit
  7. clip — to cut
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. clip — for paper
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — magic

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