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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pound — a weight
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lie — to recline
  10. clip — a video
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — all right
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fine — high quality
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. clip — to cut

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