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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. kick — in football
  8. firm — steady
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. clip — to cut
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. charge — a price
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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