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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 124 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stock — goods
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stem — to come from
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chip — to eat
  19. clip — for paper
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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