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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. spell — letters
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — magic
  7. clip — to cut
  8. can — a tin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. can — to be able to
  13. board — a committee
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. board — to get on
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — a tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rush — to hurry

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