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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — to protest
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. net — for catching
  8. object — an aim
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. scale — in music
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. clip — for paper
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — in sport
  16. cap — a lid
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pound — a weight
  20. object — a thing
  21. net — after costs
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cap — a hat

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