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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. plane — a tool
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lie — to recline
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — in football
  10. bank — for money
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. shower — rain
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. clip — to cut
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. clip — for paper
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — with a leg

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