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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. craft — boats
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stock — shares
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. clip — for paper
  20. stock — goods
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. clip — to cut

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