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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spell — magic
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fine — all right
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. scale — size or range
  13. clip — a video
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. clip — for paper
  24. spell — a short time

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