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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. clip — for paper
  7. suit — in cards
  8. kid — to tease
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bank — for money
  15. current — of water
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bank — of a river
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitch — completely
  21. clip — to cut
  22. kid — child
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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