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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. drill — a practice
  5. clip — for paper
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. march — the month
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. clip — to cut
  21. drill — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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