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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. clip — a video
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. clip — to cut
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bulb — for light
  13. row — a line
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. sharp — clever
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mark — a grade
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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