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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. clip — a video
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cap — a lid
  14. current — happening now
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. clip — for paper
  19. current — electric
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. current — of water
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. clip — to cut

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