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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — a video
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mate — to breed
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bore — to drill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mate — a partner
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — a trail

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