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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bank — for money
  3. fall — the season
  4. scale — size or range
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rash — a series
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. content — the amount
  18. clip — for paper
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kick — in football
  21. content — happy
  22. clip — to cut
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fall — to drop

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