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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. clip — for paper
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. clip — to cut
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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