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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 a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rash — hasty
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rash — a series
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fork — in a road
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — in control
  23. clip — a video
  24. charge — a price

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