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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 120 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. clip — to cut
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — a video
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. file — a line of people
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. file — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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