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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cap — of ice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. clip — a video
  6. kid — child
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. clip — for paper
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. clip — to cut
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — a hat
  24. deal — a big deal

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