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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. clip — a video
  3. current — of water
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — obliged
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — a committee
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. clip — to cut
  18. ball — a great time
  19. current — electric
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bound — certain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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