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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. clip — a video
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — to handle
  9. board — to get on
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. board — a committee
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rock — music
  24. bear — the animal

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