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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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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 · net · jam · deal · clip · fan · mine · stick

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mine — for digging
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. net — after costs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. clip — to cut
  19. deal — to handle
  20. clip — for paper
  21. net — in sport
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mine — an explosive

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