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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — electricity
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. pit — a hole
  11. roll — a list
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. saw — the tool
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pit — in a race
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. wave — of the sea

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