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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. current — of water
  3. chip — to eat
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pop — music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mug — a face
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mug — to rob
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pop — soda
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. clip — a video
  24. pop — to visit

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