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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — of water
  8. hand — help
  9. bank — of a river
  10. club — for golf
  11. firm — a company
  12. current — happening now
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. hand — in cards
  16. current — electric
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. club — a group
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bank — for money

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