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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. firm — a company
  3. capital — money
  4. firm — decided
  5. clip — for paper
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. capital — a city
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. charge — in control
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — a price
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. bank — for money
  22. clip — to cut
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bank — of a river

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