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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. kick — in football
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — a video
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bank — for money
  11. tear — to rip
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. clip — for paper
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bank — for money
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. kick — a thrill

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