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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. press — a publisher
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cell — in biology
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. race — a contest
  18. clip — for paper
  19. race — the arms race
  20. press — to push
  21. mark — a trace
  22. prune — to trim
  23. track — a path
  24. cell — a phone

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