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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pit — in a race
  3. race — the arms race
  4. firm — a company
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. band — a music group
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. band — a ring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. firm — decided
  19. pit — a hole
  20. firm — steady
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — a contest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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