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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: clip · temple · wound · coach · rest · chip · court · ruler

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wound — an injury
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rest — a break
  12. clip — for paper
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. court — for sport
  18. chip — for betting
  19. clip — to cut
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. court — of a king
  23. clip — a video
  24. chip — in a computer

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