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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.

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: present · rest · can · clip · ruler · track · drill · squash

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — the sport
  3. track — a path
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rest — what's left
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — a song
  9. clip — to cut
  10. present — a gift
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. can — to be able to
  14. present — the time now
  15. track — to keep track
  16. drill — army training
  17. present — there
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. can — a tin
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — a video
  24. rest — what's left

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