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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pitch — completely
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. clip — for paper
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to click
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — to cut

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