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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. clip — to cut
  3. roll — a list
  4. clip — a video
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rock — music
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. clip — for paper
  11. object — to protest
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — a thing
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pop — soda
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pop — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cap — of ice
  24. chair — to sit on

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