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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  3. race — humankind
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — finally
  14. mine — for digging
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. last — final
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. season — in sport
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. season — of the year
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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