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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rush — hurry
  12. clip — for paper
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — to get on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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