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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. clip — a video
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cap — a hat
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cap — a lid
  16. dip — to sink
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. face — to confront
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. clip — for paper
  24. dip — to dunk

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