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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. root — the cause
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a friend
  8. root — of a word
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bass — low music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wake — a trail

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