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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: bear · lie · current · clip · straw · mug · rock · bore

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. clip — to cut
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. clip — a video
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. clip — for paper
  22. mug — a face
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mug — to rob

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