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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  3. track — to keep track
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. spell — letters
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stand — to bear
  11. track — a song
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. clip — to cut
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  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