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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. clip — to cut
  3. can — a tin
  4. clip — a video
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mark — a trace
  7. can — to be able to
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bound — obliged
  10. clip — for paper
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mark — a grade
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. date — the fruit
  19. can — a tin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bound — certain
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. date — on the calendar

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