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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. clip — to cut
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. clip — for paper
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — in control
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. charge — a price
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — to get on
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rash — a series
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wound — an injury
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. charge — electricity

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