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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. field — farmland
  5. dip — to sink
  6. vault — a safe
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. charge — in control
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. clip — to cut
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. clip — a video
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. field — a subject
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — electricity
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. charge — a price
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — for sport

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