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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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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: clip · deal · suit · band · cap · bass · nail · tube

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. deal — to handle
  5. band — a ring
  6. bass — low music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bass — the fish
  9. clip — for paper
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. band — a music group
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cap — a lid
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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