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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. content — the amount
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. content — happy
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. staff — employees
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. prune — to trim
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rock — a stone
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — a stick
  19. clip — for paper
  20. charge — a price
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rock — music
  24. rest — a break

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