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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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 — a video
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. current — electric
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. clip — to cut
  9. perch — the fish
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bass — the fish
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fine — all right
  16. bass — low music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. current — of water
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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