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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. clip — a video
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rush — hurry
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. clip — to cut
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — boats
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pass — a permit
  19. shower — rain
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pass — to succeed

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