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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stock — goods
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. clip — a video
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — humankind
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — for paper
  20. race — a contest
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fall — the season

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