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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. clip — a video
  3. cap — of ice
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — a stick
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — to eat
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bank — of a river
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. chip — for betting
  18. snap — to click
  19. clip — for paper
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. bank — for money

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