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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. clip — a video
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — completely
  9. swing — music
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. rock — music
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. clip — to cut
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. swing — to play on
  19. board — a committee
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rock — to move gently

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