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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. clip — a video
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cue — for pool
  7. clip — to cut
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rule — government
  16. season — of the year
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. clip — for paper
  19. cue — a signal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rule — a law

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