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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · bat · clip · racket · lie · key

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. clip — a video
  3. key — in music
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — to cut
  7. current — electric
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — for a lock
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth

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