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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. clip — a video
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lean — thin
  6. clip — to cut
  7. scale — size or range
  8. root — the cause
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lie — to recline
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. clip — for paper
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — a safe
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lean — to bend

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