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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: clip · jam · bulb · rest · can · current · stand · racket

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. clip — for paper
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — happening now
  13. clip — a video
  14. bulb — for light
  15. current — of water
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — electric
  19. rest — a break
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. can — to be able to

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