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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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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — a face
  3. clip — a video
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cue — a signal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lean — thin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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