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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bulb — for light
  5. file — a tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. file — a document
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — in cards
  13. clip — for paper
  14. prune — to trim
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. prune — to trim
  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