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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. clip — for paper
  3. lie — to recline
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — a partner
  11. foot — a measure
  12. clip — to cut
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — a break
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — to breed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mate — a friend
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. clip — a video

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