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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. object — an aim
  6. pit — a hole
  7. object — a thing
  8. board — a committee
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. board — to get on
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — to protest
  16. hand — help
  17. pit — in a race
  18. clip — a video
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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