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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: pit · sharp · land · craft · deal · ruler · board · clip

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — for paper
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. land — to come down
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. craft — boats
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. land — ground
  17. board — a committee
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. land — a country
  23. sharp — clever
  24. craft — a skill

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