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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. can — a tin
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. saw — the tool
  6. clip — a video
  7. land — to come down
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. land — ground
  11. track — a path
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cue — for pool
  14. land — a country
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cue — a hint
  18. track — a song
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — to cut
  24. cue — a signal

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