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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. clip — for paper
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rash — hasty
  7. current — of water
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rash — a series
  10. clip — a video
  11. current — happening now
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. board — to get on
  17. clip — to cut
  18. current — electric
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stem — to come from
  23. board — a committee
  24. rock — music

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