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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. root — the cause
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. clip — for paper
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. clip — to cut
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. foot — part of the body

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