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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bound — certain
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. snap — to click
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. plane — a tool
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mouse — for a computer

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