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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — a price
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. clip — for paper
  15. can — to be able to
  16. row — to paddle
  17. season — of the year
  18. dip — to sink
  19. charge — in control
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — electricity
  22. season — in sport
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. clip — to cut

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