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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. clip — for paper
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cold — an illness
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — a trace
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rule — a law
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — of the sea

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