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

Word bank: jam · ruler · clip · toast · staff · rule

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. clip — a video
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. toast — bread
  7. rule — government
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rule — a law
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rule — to rule out

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