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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cue — for pool
  6. tube — a container
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fine — all right
  10. clip — for paper
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fork — in a road
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — to cut
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cue — a hint
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tube — the underground

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