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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · leaves · bowl · trunk · clip · fork · ball · fan

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. present — there
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. clip — for paper
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — the time now
  24. leaves — to go away

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