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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. object — an aim
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. squash — to crush
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kick — in football
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — a law
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. clip — a video
  19. lie — to recline
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rule — government
  24. mate — a friend

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