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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. clip — a video
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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