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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 116 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: ruler · cap · clip · leaves · ball · bay

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cap — of ice
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. clip — for paper
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. clip — a video
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cap — a lid
  18. 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