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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. clip — a video
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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