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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. clip — a video
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rule — government
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. clip — to cut
  15. pass — a permit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spring — a coil
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. charge — in control
  23. date — the fruit
  24. spring — of water

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