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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. file — a tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. clip — to cut
  13. file — a line of people
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. kick — in football
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. clip — a video
  21. lie — to recline
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. file — a document
  24. clip — for paper

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