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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. dip — to sink
  3. prune — to trim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mug — to rob
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — for money
  10. vault — a safe
  11. clip — to cut
  12. ground — a position
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mug — a cup
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. clip — for paper
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — a face
  24. bank — of a river

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