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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. clip — a video
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. drill — army training
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pit — in a race
  7. drill — the tool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — for paper
  15. drill — a practice
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. roll — a cake
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — a partner
  24. roll — a list

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