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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. root — of a word
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. hand — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — a video
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rock — a stone
  13. hand — help
  14. root — the cause
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. clip — for paper
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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