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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — of the year
  11. clip — a video
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. chip — to eat
  17. clip — for paper
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — a skill

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