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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. prune — to trim
  9. clip — for paper
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — goods
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. charge — in control
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. clip — to cut
  22. charge — electricity
  23. scale — in music
  24. prune — to trim

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