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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.

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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. clip — for paper
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cue — for pool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cue — a hint
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rule — government

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