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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. swing — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. board — a committee
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — for paper
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. board — to get on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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