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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 120 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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. band — a ring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. clip — for paper
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — low music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — to fit

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