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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. can — to be able to
  4. file — a tool
  5. spring — the season
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. file — a line of people
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. clip — to cut
  15. can — a tin
  16. clip — a video
  17. suit — in cards
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. file — a document
  23. clip — for paper
  24. suit — clothes

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