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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: ruler · clip · fine · file · foot · charge · temple · cap

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fine — all right
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — to cut
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. file — a line of people
  13. charge — in control
  14. file — a document
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. file — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fine — high quality
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cap — a hat
  24. clip — a video

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