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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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. race — the arms race
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. clip — a video
  7. race — a contest
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. clip — for paper
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. clip — to cut
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — humankind
  18. pass — a permit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — a grade
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — a trace
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rock — to move gently

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