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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: current · firm · clip · chip · lean · bay · rock · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. chip — to eat
  3. current — electric
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. firm — steady
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. firm — decided
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — a stone
  12. current — happening now
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. clip — for paper
  17. current — of water
  18. lean — thin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hand — help
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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