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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cue — for pool
  3. clip — for paper
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. scale — size or range
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — in control
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a signal
  23. clip — to cut
  24. rush — hurry

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