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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. degree — temperature
  6. clip — to cut
  7. craft — a skill
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. press — a publisher
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. degree — an amount
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — a company
  21. bear — the animal
  22. press — to push
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. press — newspapers

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