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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. pit — a hole
  6. object — an aim
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. clip — to cut
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. clip — for paper
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bound — certain
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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