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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — for paper
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. clip — a video
  8. bank — of a river
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. clip — to cut
  13. root — the cause
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — all right
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. root — of a word
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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