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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rock — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. clip — a video
  5. drill — a practice
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — for pool
  8. drill — army training
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — a container
  11. clip — for paper
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — a stone
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. clip — to cut
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. staff — employees
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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