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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bulb — for light
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — in sport
  15. clip — for paper
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. roll — a cake
  19. net — for catching
  20. roll — a list
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. roll — on a roll

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