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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. pitch — completely
  6. swing — music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in biology
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. clip — a video
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. cell — a phone

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