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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: clip · key · date · stand · fine · spell · bowl · lie

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. clip — a video
  3. fine — high quality
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — for a lock
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. spell — magic
  22. clip — for paper
  23. fine — all right
  24. key — 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