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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · lie · clip · cabinet · pop · stick · cap · spell

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. clip — a video
  4. spell — magic
  5. pop — to visit
  6. clip — for paper
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pop — soda
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pop — music
  24. cap — a hat

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