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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mug — to rob
  4. clip — a video
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. clip — for paper
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. current — electric
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — happening now
  18. mug — a face
  19. rush — hurry
  20. can — a tin
  21. mug — a cup
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bore — gave birth

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