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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — there
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wound — an injury
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a skill
  15. present — the time now
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pit — a hole
  24. foot — part of the body

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