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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. clip — to cut
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. scale — size or range
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. roll — a list
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. roll — a cake
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fine — all right
  19. scale — in music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wound — an injury

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