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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. hand — help
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. clip — a video
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lie — to recline
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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