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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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468
Word bank
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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. scale — in music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. clip — to cut
  13. scale — size or range
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. clip — for paper
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. kick — in football
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. kick — with a leg

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