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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bulb — for light
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. clip — for paper
  11. mark — a grade
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. staff — employees
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. staff — employees
  24. kick — in football

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