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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. suit — in cards
  3. tube — a container
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. current — happening now
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — electric
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. clip — a video
  13. suit — clothes
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. band — a ring
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. tube — the underground
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — moving air
  22. clip — to cut
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. clip — for paper

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