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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. land — to come down
  13. rest — what's left
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rush — hurry
  16. land — a country
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. roll — a list
  22. rest — a break
  23. roll — a cake
  24. land — ground

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