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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. clip — to cut
  9. fall — the season
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — in cards
  16. clip — for paper
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mug — a face
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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