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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. face — to confront
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pass — a permit
  5. press — to push
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. fine — all right
  10. clip — to cut
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — completely
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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