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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. file — a tool
  3. mark — a grade
  4. file — a line of people
  5. squash — the sport
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. lean — thin
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bound — certain
  12. file — a document
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. clip — for paper
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — tied together
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bound — obliged
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lean — to bend

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