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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — a publisher
  7. tube — a container
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. root — the cause
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a word
  15. clip — for paper
  16. press — to push
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tube — the underground
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. root — of a plant
  24. clip — to cut

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