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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. clip — for paper
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pound — a weight
  15. clip — to cut
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — part of the head
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. face — to confront

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