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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. rock — to move gently
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pass — a permit
  8. clip — to cut
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. clip — for paper
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bulb — for light
  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