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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. shower — rain
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — to fit
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — hurry
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bear — the animal

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