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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. clip — a video
  4. content — happy
  5. swing — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rest — a break
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. content — the amount
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — for betting
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. clip — for paper
  24. bore — to tire

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