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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: clip · stick · leaves · band · ruler · hide · kid · rock

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. band — a ring
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. clip — a video
  15. band — a music group
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. clip — to cut
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. clip — for paper
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. kid — child
  24. rock — a stone

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