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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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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 · bound · charge · tube · clip · rule · snap · face

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. face — part of the head
  3. charge — a price
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. snap — to click
  6. charge — in control
  7. tube — a container
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — a video
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. clip — for paper
  14. face — to confront
  15. bound — obliged
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bound — certain
  18. rule — government
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bound — tied together
  21. charge — electricity
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rule — a law
  24. tube — the underground

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