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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — to bear
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. kid — to tease
  9. clip — for paper
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. shower — to wash
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. clip — a video
  14. charge — in control
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. charge — a price
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kid — child
  22. lie — to recline
  23. charge — electricity
  24. shower — rain

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