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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. clip — a video
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. roll — a cake
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. roll — a list
  12. track — a song
  13. clip — to cut
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. clip — for paper
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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