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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. clip — to cut
  6. current — of water
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. clip — a video
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. clip — for paper
  22. board — to get on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. current — electric

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