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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. clip — a video
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — hasty
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — a series
  24. ball — a round shape

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