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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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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: lie · mug · saw · bound · clip · fine · cap · arm

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — a face
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bound — tied together
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fine — all right
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. clip — for paper
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bound — certain
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. clip — a video
  24. lie — to recline

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