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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 120 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 · clip · fine · pop · wind · board · current · firm

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. clip — a video
  5. firm — a company
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — steady
  8. fine — high quality
  9. board — to get on
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. current — happening now
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. clip — for paper
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. firm — decided
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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