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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — to handle
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bank — of a river
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — to cut
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hand — help

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