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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. saw — the tool
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. chip — for betting
  12. clip — to cut
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chip — to eat
  22. clip — for paper
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — gave birth

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