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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. clip — a video
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stock — goods
  9. clip — to cut
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. clip — for paper
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — after costs
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — shares
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rush — hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lie — an untruth

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