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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: clip · cap · content · rush · pass · current · bark · club

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. content — the amount
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. clip — for paper
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for dancing
  11. clip — a video
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. clip — to cut
  20. current — of water
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. current — electric

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