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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. clip — for paper
  4. scale — size or range
  5. object — a thing
  6. bank — for money
  7. tear — to rip
  8. clip — a video
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — to protest
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — a company
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. scale — in music

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