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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rock — a stone
  5. clip — for paper
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. press — to push
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a lid
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cap — a hat
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mark — a grade
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rock — music
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — of ice
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. clip — to cut
  24. press — newspapers

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