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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. clip — a video
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ball — a great time
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. clip — for paper
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — to drill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lie — to recline
  21. key — in music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. clip — to cut

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