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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. mark — a trace
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mark — a grade
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. staff — employees
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. capital — money
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cap — of ice
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — happening now
  22. cap — a hat
  23. capital — a city
  24. straw — a straw man

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