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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. clip — a video
  3. tube — the underground
  4. season — of the year
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bass — low music
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. saw — the tool
  15. clip — to cut
  16. tube — a container
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. season — in sport
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  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