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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · drill · clip · face · cabinet · branch · ruler · bear

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — a division
  7. bear — the animal
  8. drill — a practice
  9. face — part of the head
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. drill — army training
  12. clip — for paper
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. scale — in music
  18. face — to confront
  19. clip — to cut
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. clip — a video
  24. scale — for weighing

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