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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — in control
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lean — to bend
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bass — low music
  14. craft — boats
  15. deal — to handle
  16. charge — electricity
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. clip — for paper
  22. charge — a price
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lean — thin

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