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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — a video
  5. cue — for pool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chest — of your body
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. chest — of your body
  10. clip — for paper
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chest — a box
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. cue — a signal
  23. clip — to cut
  24. lean — thin

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