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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. drill — army training
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. content — the amount
  6. row — to paddle
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. drill — the tool
  9. row — a line
  10. clip — to cut
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. can — a tin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. drill — a practice
  20. content — happy
  21. current — of water
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to tire
  24. safe — out of danger

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