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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rest — what's left
  4. clip — a video
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — for paper
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — a break
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. clip — to cut
  14. suit — to fit
  15. charge — a price
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. race — a contest
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stock — shares
  20. race — humankind
  21. band — a ring
  22. stock — goods
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — in cards

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