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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: foot · wax · stick · bear · club · clip · fine · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — a video
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. club — a group
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. club — for golf
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. club — for dancing
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bear — to put up with

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