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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 116 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: mouse · current · firm · clip · coach · lean · trunk · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. firm — steady
  5. clip — for paper
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. clip — to cut
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. current — happening now
  14. firm — decided
  15. clip — a video
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. current — of water
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — electric
  22. sharp — clever
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lean — to rest against

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