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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 124 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. clip — for paper
  4. toast — bread
  5. bore — to tire
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. firm — decided
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. firm — a company
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. content — happy
  20. firm — steady
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. clip — a video
  23. mark — a grade
  24. content — the amount

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