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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. current — happening now
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. clip — to cut
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — of water
  11. bore — to drill
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. roll — a list
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — a cake
  22. saw — the tool
  23. deal — to handle
  24. current — electric

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