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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. clip — a video
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mug — a face
  8. clip — to cut
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mug — to rob
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. key — in music
  18. kick — in football
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  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