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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chip — for betting
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. club — a group
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — a committee
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. club — for dancing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mug — to rob
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. clip — to cut
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. board — to get on
  21. club — for golf
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mug — a face
  24. clip — for paper

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