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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · can · ruler · rash · clip · face · hide · net

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — hasty
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — after costs
  5. can — to be able to
  6. clip — a video
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. face — to point toward
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. clip — to cut
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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