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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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Word bank
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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. clip — a video
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — to push
  6. clip — for paper
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rest — what's left
  9. clip — to cut
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pop — music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. press — newspapers
  16. craft — boats
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fine — all right
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — to visit
  24. calf — of the leg

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