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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. clip — a video
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bank — of a river
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bank — for money
  16. clip — for paper
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. roll — a list
  23. pit — a hole
  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