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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. clip — a video
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. content — happy
  11. bat — the animal
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — to bear
  18. file — a line of people
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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