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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. shower — rain
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — to bend
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bass — low music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fine — all right
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lean — thin
  24. clip — to cut

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