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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. clip — a video
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. court — of law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lean — to bend
  12. suit — in cards
  13. court — for sport
  14. clip — for paper
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lean — thin
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. dip — to sink
  21. clip — to cut
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — of a king

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