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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 124 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. clip — a video
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mine — for digging
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cue — a hint
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cue — for pool
  23. clip — for paper
  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