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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — a stone
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. clip — to cut
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. march — music
  24. rock — music

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