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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. clip — a video
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. clip — to cut
  11. track — a song
  12. craft — boats
  13. kick — in football
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — a path
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — for paper
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. stand — to bear
  24. craft — a skill

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