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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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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: dip · ruler · cap · clip · march · pit · fine · toast

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — a hole
  5. toast — bread
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. march — the month
  11. clip — to cut
  12. march — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fine — all right
  17. cap — a hat
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. march — the month
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fine — high quality

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