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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — for pool
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. race — the arms race
  10. craft — a skill
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. race — a contest
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cue — a hint
  16. clip — for paper
  17. race — humankind
  18. ball — a dance
  19. craft — boats
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — an aim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cue — a signal

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