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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. clip — a video
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. swing — music
  5. lean — thin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fine — all right
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — a signal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. swing — in golf
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cue — a hint
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fine — a penalty

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