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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — a video
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lie — to recline
  5. object — an aim
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pop — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. clip — to cut
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. clip — for paper
  16. present — a gift
  17. object — to protest
  18. present — there
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — a thing
  21. present — the time now
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. hide — to keep secret

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