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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: pass · fork · lean · ruler · nail · clip · mate · swing

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lean — thin
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. clip — to cut
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fork — in a road
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. clip — a video
  24. fork — to eat with

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