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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: clip · staff · temple · dip · nail · ruler · arm · pop

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. clip — a video
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. staff — employees
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. dip — to sink
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pop — music
  19. clip — to cut
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pop — soda
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. staff — employees

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