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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: stick · bear · current · pass · lie · wake · court · clip

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pass — a permit
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. court — for sport
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. clip — a video
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. court — of a king
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — of law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. current — happening now
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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