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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rash — a series
  11. rule — a law
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rule — government
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pound — a weight
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rash — hasty
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pass — to succeed

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