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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pop — soda
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pop — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pop — to visit

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