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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 124 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — the cause
  6. clip — a video
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. clip — to cut
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bulb — for light
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kick — in football
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. root — of a word
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. root — of a plant
  24. straw — dry grass

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