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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: chair · dip · deal · clip · ruler · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. clip — to cut
  12. deal — to handle
  13. clip — a video
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — to sit on

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