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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. tear — from crying
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — a song
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. clip — to cut
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. clip — for paper
  18. track — a path
  19. charge — electricity
  20. tear — to rip
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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