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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. content — happy
  3. clip — to cut
  4. pop — soda
  5. clip — a video
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. tear — from crying
  11. clip — for paper
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pitch — completely
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pop — music
  18. current — happening now
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — of water
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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