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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. current — of water
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. staff — employees
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. clip — to cut
  9. craft — a skill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. current — happening now
  13. clip — for paper
  14. current — electric
  15. snap — to click
  16. ball — a dance
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. staff — a stick

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