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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. clip — a video
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — help
  10. snap — to click
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — to cut
  13. content — happy
  14. current — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hand — in cards
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. content — the amount
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. current — happening now
  24. leaves — of a tree

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