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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. pass — a permit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. firm — a company
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. firm — steady
  20. fine — all right
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — decided
  23. spring — a coil
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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