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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. clip — a video
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ball — a great time
  5. clip — to cut
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — in sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. season — of the year
  17. clip — for paper
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. season — to add flavour

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