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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. clip — a video
  8. lie — to recline
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. clip — for paper
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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