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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · staff · temple · dip · nail · ruler

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. clip — for paper
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. clip — a video
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. clip — to cut
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick

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