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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. clip — a video
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. suit — clothes
  6. dip — to sink
  7. present — the time now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. suit — in cards
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. present — there
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — a gift
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — to fit
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rush — hurry

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