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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — to get on
  11. cap — a hat
  12. clip — a video
  13. cap — a lid
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bear — the animal
  16. clip — to cut
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. lie — to recline
  24. kid — child

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