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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — a trail
  14. clip — for paper
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. clip — to cut

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