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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bear — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. face — to point toward
  5. current — of water
  6. clip — to cut
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — a match
  10. chip — to eat
  11. current — happening now
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. face — part of the head
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. face — to confront
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — to put up with

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