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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pass — a permit
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. clip — for paper
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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