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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — a video
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — in control
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. firm — decided
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. clip — for paper
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. clip — to cut
  19. suit — to fit
  20. firm — a company
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. charge — a price
  23. firm — steady
  24. branch — a division

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