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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: mouse · temple · scale · jam · snap · ruler · clip · root

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. clip — to cut
  6. scale — size or range
  7. root — the cause
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. snap — to click
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. clip — a video
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. root — of a word
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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