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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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. clip — a video
  3. cap — a hat
  4. clip — for paper
  5. hand — help
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cap — of ice
  8. face — part of the head
  9. clip — to cut
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. face — to confront
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. track — a song
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. track — a path
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. face — to point toward

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