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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bank — for money
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. object — a thing
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. object — an aim
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. object — to protest
  24. bank — of a river

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