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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. content — the amount
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. root — of a plant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — to come from
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. content — happy
  22. clip — to cut
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ruler — for measuring

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