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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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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: safe · dip · ruler · clip · face · arm · pit · field

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. clip — to cut
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. field — for sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. field — farmland
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pit — in a race
  23. field — a subject
  24. dip — a sauce

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