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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — magic
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. cap — a lid
  13. spell — letters
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — a short time
  22. clip — for paper
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bowl — a football final

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