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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ground — crushed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — to play on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. clip — a video
  10. ground — a position
  11. clip — for paper
  12. press — newspapers
  13. swing — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ground — the earth
  19. swing — in golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. press — to push

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