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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — to sink
  3. clip — for paper
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. branch — a division
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — to come from
  8. firm — decided
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. firm — a company
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. clip — a video
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. clip — to cut
  22. firm — steady
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. branch — of a bank

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