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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: snap · clip · net · rock · calf · suit · pit · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pit — in a race
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. net — in sport
  7. rock — music
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to click
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. clip — to cut

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