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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — a video
  8. firm — a company
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. can — to be able to
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. spell — a short time
  17. firm — steady
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — decided
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. race — a contest
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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