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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — for paper
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fine — high quality
  12. track — a song
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — in cards
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. clip — to cut
  20. track — to keep track
  21. craft — a skill
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — boats

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