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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.

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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: row · fine · foot · kick · ruler · fan · present · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — a gift
  4. row — a line
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. present — there
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. clip — to cut
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. clip — a video
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. foot — a measure

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