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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — soda
  8. track — to keep track
  9. clip — to cut
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — to visit
  13. firm — decided
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — steady
  16. clip — a video
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — music
  24. can — to be able to

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