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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stock — goods
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — to cut
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — low music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. clip — for paper
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mate — to breed
  24. plane — an aircraft

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