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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. season — in sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — bread
  16. clip — a video
  17. stand — to bear
  18. clip — for paper
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kick — in football
  21. craft — boats
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — to cool the air

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