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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. current — of water
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — electric
  5. clip — a video
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. clip — for paper
  14. current — happening now
  15. clip — to cut
  16. swing — music
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. swing — in golf
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bowl — a dish

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