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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: racket · firm · mouse · current · safe · craft · deal · clip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a skill
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — a video
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — boats
  15. firm — steady
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — a company
  18. current — of water
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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