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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: chest · bulb · present · object · arm · ruler · dip · clip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — a video
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. clip — for paper
  13. present — the time now
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — an aim
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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