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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. clip — a video
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lie — to recline
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ground — the earth
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ground — a position
  19. clip — to cut
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — a line
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bore — to drill
  24. row — to paddle

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