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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. can — to be able to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. can — a tin
  14. clip — to cut
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — all right
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fine — high quality

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