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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 116 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. press — to push
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fall — to drop
  13. clip — to cut
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — shares
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. bore — to drill
  19. branch — a division
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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