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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: suit · clip · stem · current · pop · date · craft · firm

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. current — happening now
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. clip — for paper
  5. firm — a company
  6. clip — to cut
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pop — soda
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. suit — clothes
  12. date — the fruit
  13. craft — boats
  14. pop — music
  15. firm — steady
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. current — of water
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — a skill
  20. current — electric
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. date — on the calendar

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