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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. current — electric
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bat — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — boats
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. clip — for paper
  21. snap — to click
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. clip — to cut

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