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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — for paper
  9. season — in sport
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — low music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bass — the fish
  22. press — to push
  23. clip — to cut
  24. press — a publisher

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