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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — music
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. march — the month
  8. swing — to play on
  9. staff — a stick
  10. degree — from a university
  11. clip — to cut
  12. march — the month
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. clip — for paper
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. degree — temperature
  22. staff — employees
  23. march — music
  24. degree — an amount

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