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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. swing — music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. clip — to cut
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. clip — a video
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. clip — for paper
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fine — all right
  21. swing — to play on
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — for measuring

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