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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · race · mark · date · hide · cue · season · clip

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cue — a hint
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. season — in sport
  6. clip — for paper
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cue — for pool
  12. clip — to cut
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. season — of the year
  20. date — the fruit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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