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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. ball — a dance
  4. clip — to cut
  5. press — to push
  6. content — the amount
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. clip — for paper
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bound — certain
  18. clip — a video
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. content — happy
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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