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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. clip — a video
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. clip — to cut
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — a break
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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