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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. race — humankind
  5. squash — to crush
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. key — for a lock
  12. race — a contest
  13. key — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. clip — for paper
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a ring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. band — a music group
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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