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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. dip — to sink
  3. clip — to cut
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — a video
  14. bass — the fish
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bass — low music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. current — happening now
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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