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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: bay · content · present · stand · coach · ruler · clip · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — for paper
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — there
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — to bear
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. clip — to cut
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. clip — a video

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