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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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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — electric
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bound — certain
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bound — obliged
  16. prune — to trim
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hide — to keep secret

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