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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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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: object · fork · clip · pit · season · lash · stick · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. object — an aim
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. season — in sport
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. clip — a video
  14. season — of the year
  15. object — a thing
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pit — a hole
  20. object — to protest
  21. clip — for paper
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pit — in a race

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