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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. mug — a face
  2. club — for dancing
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — a cup
  6. tube — the underground
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. current — happening now
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bound — certain
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. clip — a video
  14. bound — tied together
  15. tube — a container
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. club — a group
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bound — obliged
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. mug — to rob
  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