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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cue — a signal
  3. clip — a video
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. current — happening now
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chip — for betting
  9. club — a group
  10. clip — to cut
  11. club — for dancing
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. club — for golf
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — low music
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. clip — for paper
  22. current — electric
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cue — for pool

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