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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rock — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. clip — to cut
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. clip — a video
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. deal — to handle
  22. clip — for paper
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — to eat

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