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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — a contest
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rest — a break
  7. bank — for money
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bank — for money
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. clip — a video
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. race — humankind
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. race — the arms race

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