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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: last · clip · mug · lie · vault · chair · current · stock

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. current — of water
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stock — shares
  7. mug — a cup
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. current — electric
  10. last — final
  11. stock — goods
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. current — happening now
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. mug — to rob
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a face
  24. clip — for paper

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