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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. clip — to cut
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rush — hurry
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — a video
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rush — a thrill

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