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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bat — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. clip — for paper
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bulb — for light
  19. clip — to cut
  20. stock — goods
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stock — shares
  24. ball — a great time

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