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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. spring — of water
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. spring — the season
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. clip — to cut
  10. tear — from crying
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. clip — a video
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bore — to tire
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. safe — out of danger

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