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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. clip — to cut
  3. fall — the season
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. clip — a video
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. clip — for paper
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rock — music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pound — a weight
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fall — to drop
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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