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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fine — all right
  3. mug — to rob
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. staff — a stick
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. game — wild animals
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. clip — to cut
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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