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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pit — a hole
  7. band — a music group
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. clip — a video
  20. plane — a tool
  21. band — a ring
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — in a race
  24. lie — an untruth

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