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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. clip — to cut
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. last — finally
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. last — final
  17. key — the most important part
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. key — in music
  20. march — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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