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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: hand · clip · pop · arm · bear · pitch · ruler · vault

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pop — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pop — to visit
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pop — soda
  18. clip — a video
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hand — help
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — completely

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