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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. object — to protest
  5. clip — to cut
  6. current — electric
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — of water
  9. plane — a tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. clip — for paper
  16. object — a thing
  17. bound — obliged
  18. clip — a video
  19. lie — to recline
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bound — certain
  22. object — an aim
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — an aircraft

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