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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lie — to recline
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rock — a stone
  5. clip — a video
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — newspapers
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — music
  24. cell — a phone

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