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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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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: drill · firm · court · clip · stick · current · lie · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. clip — a video
  4. drill — army training
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. court — of a king
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lie — to recline
  16. firm — decided
  17. clip — to cut
  18. current — electric
  19. firm — a company
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — steady
  22. clip — for paper
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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