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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.

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: key · date · clip · press · bark · current · staff · perch

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. press — a publisher
  7. current — happening now
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. key — in music
  11. clip — for paper
  12. date — the fruit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — to shout
  15. key — the most important part
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — of water
  18. clip — to cut
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. current — electric
  23. perch — the fish
  24. key — for a lock

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