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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — a price
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. clip — a video
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. clip — for paper
  18. charge — in control
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — electricity

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