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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. swing — music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. clip — for paper
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. can — to be able to
  18. swing — in golf
  19. clip — a video
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. swing — to play on
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rock — a stone

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