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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 120 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rule — government
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rule — a law
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — decided
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. firm — a company
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. clip — a video

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