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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rest — a break
  3. mate — to breed
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mate — a partner
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rest — what's left
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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