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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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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pass — a permit
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. capital — money
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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