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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · fine · clip · content · bulb · bear · stand · kick

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. content — happy
  4. current — happening now
  5. clip — for paper
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. content — the amount
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stand — to bear
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — in football
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fine — all right
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. clip — a video
  24. bear — the animal

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