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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. bass — the fish
  3. current — electric
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. clip — to cut
  6. current — happening now
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — low music
  10. current — of water
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. clip — a video
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. season — in sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. season — of the year
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bass — the instrument

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