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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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. drill — army training
  3. charge — in control
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. scale — in music
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mark — a trace
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — size or range
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — a committee
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ball — a dance
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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