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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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Word bank
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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — to cut
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. clip — a video
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. clip — for paper
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. racket — for tennis

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