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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. file — a line of people
  3. clip — for paper
  4. file — a document
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. club — a group
  7. key — for a lock
  8. vault — a safe
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. clip — to cut
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. file — a tool
  20. key — in music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stem — to come from
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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