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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. clip — to cut
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. clip — a video
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. content — the amount
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. content — happy
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. clip — for paper
  18. track — a path
  19. can — to be able to
  20. board — a committee
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — to visit
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — to get on

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