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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — to bear
  6. clip — to cut
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. craft — a skill
  13. kick — in football
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. clip — for paper
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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