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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: suit · perch · deal · clip · date · lie · rash · bound

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rash — hasty
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — to fit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rash — a series
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bound — tied together
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. clip — for paper
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bound — certain
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — clothes
  23. date — the fruit
  24. deal — to handle

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