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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. face — part of the head
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. clip — a video
  8. object — an aim
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — of ice
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to point toward
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — a hat
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. face — to confront
  22. object — a thing
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cap — a lid

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