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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. face — to point toward
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a cake
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. clip — for paper
  12. staff — employees
  13. roll — a list
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chip — to eat
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — to confront
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. face — part of the head
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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