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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. bark — to shout
  3. land — a country
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. clip — to cut
  9. tube — the underground
  10. press — to push
  11. key — in music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. land — ground
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. land — to come down
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  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