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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — to come down
  3. file — a document
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. clip — a video
  6. land — a country
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. land — ground
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. file — a line of people
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — in golf
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lie — to recline
  20. file — a tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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