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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ball — a great time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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