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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mark — a grade
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rule — a law
  5. tear — to rip
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — a trace
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. clip — for paper
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rule — government
  24. mouse — the animal

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