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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fine — all right
  5. clip — a video
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rock — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tube — a container
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rock — a 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