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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — soda
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hand — help
  17. clip — to cut
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — to visit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — a monarch

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