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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: firm · mug · bulb · hide · squash · clip · suit · current

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — to rob
  5. clip — a video
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. clip — to cut
  9. suit — to fit
  10. clip — for paper
  11. firm — decided
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. firm — a company
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mug — a face
  22. firm — steady
  23. current — of water
  24. hide — animal skin

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