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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. clip — a video
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. court — of law
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — for sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — a gift
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. clip — to cut
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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