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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bass — low music
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. clip — for paper
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. clip — a video
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. racket — for tennis

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