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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. drill — the tool
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — in music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. clip — for paper
  12. key — for a lock
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — a video
  24. present — the time now

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