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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 · stand · rush · fan · board · racket · current · bat

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. clip — a video
  4. current — happening now
  5. rush — hurry
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. current — electric
  11. board — a committee
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bat — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. clip — for paper
  24. racket — for tennis

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