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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. current — electric
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — decided
  12. mark — a grade
  13. race — humankind
  14. firm — a company
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — steady
  17. clip — a video
  18. current — happening now
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — of water
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. clip — for paper
  24. jam — in traffic

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