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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. press — newspapers
  4. current — of water
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. current — happening now
  8. squash — the sport
  9. clip — a video
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. press — to push
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. press — a publisher
  24. current — electric

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