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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. band — a music group
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — a safe
  9. clip — for paper
  10. band — a ring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mine — for digging

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