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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 116 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 were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. kick — in football
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. clip — for paper
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — low music
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kick — with a leg

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