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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cap — of ice
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cap — a lid
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bore — to drill
  13. clip — to cut
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. clip — a video
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — in music
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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