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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — to recline
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. clip — to cut
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. clip — for paper
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. clip — a video
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — in music
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. band — a ring

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