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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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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. date — the fruit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. charge — a price
  12. swing — to play on
  13. clip — to cut
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. clip — for paper
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — a tool
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. swing — music
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ball — a dance
  24. plane — an aircraft

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