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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. board — a committee
  5. clip — for paper
  6. object — a thing
  7. root — the cause
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — to protest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — an aim
  17. clip — a video
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. coach — a trainer

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