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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. degree — temperature
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — humankind
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. degree — an amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. clip — a video
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — from a university
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. clip — to cut
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitch — completely
  23. race — a contest
  24. ruler — for measuring

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