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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — in a race
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. branch — a division
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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