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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. clip — for paper
  3. present — a gift
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. present — there
  6. race — a contest
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. clip — to cut
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. clip — a video
  12. race — humankind
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. present — the time now
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rock — music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hide — animal skin

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