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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mug — a face
  4. bound — obliged
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mug — to rob
  8. season — of the year
  9. mug — a cup
  10. season — in sport
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — a subject
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bound — certain
  21. field — farmland
  22. bound — tied together
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pass — to succeed

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