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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — of water
  5. clip — a video
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. clip — for paper
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a leader
  11. current — electric
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — the tool
  15. clip — to cut
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cue — a signal
  24. current — happening now

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