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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. clip — a video
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bound — certain
  24. chip — in a computer

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