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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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. bore — gave birth
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. staff — employees
  6. clip — to cut
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. staff — a stick
  9. clip — for paper
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. staff — employees
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bore — to tire
  19. snap — to click
  20. rash — a series
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bore — to drill

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