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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bound — certain
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. clip — to cut
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. clip — for paper

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