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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. object — to protest
  3. mug — a cup
  4. charge — in control
  5. scale — size or range
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mug — to rob
  8. can — a tin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. scale — in music
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. drill — army training
  15. mug — a face
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — a thing
  20. drill — the tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. object — an aim
  23. drill — a practice
  24. clip — to cut

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