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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 124 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. cap — a hat
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lie — to recline
  15. clip — for paper
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — for light
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. root — the cause

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