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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — child
  3. clip — a video
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — for paper
  7. staff — a stick
  8. can — to be able to
  9. current — happening now
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — soda
  12. clip — to cut
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. current — of water
  16. rest — what's left
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rest — a break
  21. current — electric
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pop — music
  24. bulb — for light

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