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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. clip — for paper
  5. track — a path
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. drill — a practice
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bass — low music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. clip — to cut
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. drill — army training
  24. track — a song

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