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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. clip — to cut
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. land — a country
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — a video
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — to come down
  18. spell — letters
  19. land — ground
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. clip — for paper
  22. spell — a short time
  23. firm — steady
  24. pass — to succeed

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