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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fork — in a road
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bound — tied together
  8. stock — shares
  9. swing — music
  10. clip — to cut
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bound — certain
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stock — goods

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