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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: cap · track · ruler · root · clip · fork · lash · temple

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. root — of a plant
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a word
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — the cause
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. clip — a video
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a hat

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