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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — to cut
  6. suit — in cards
  7. clip — a video
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. clip — for paper
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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