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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — to cut
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. tube — the underground
  10. craft — boats
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. clip — for paper
  16. craft — a skill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stem — to come from
  20. scale — in music
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. clip — a video
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. face — to confront

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