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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. present — there
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. present — a gift
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — to get on
  13. clip — for paper
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. present — the time now
  20. lean — thin
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. board — a committee

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