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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: nail · craft · stand · ruler · hide · cell · pit · clip

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stand — to bear
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pit — a hole
  9. craft — boats
  10. clip — a video
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cell — in biology
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cell — in a prison

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