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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: ruler · firm · mark · fan · tear · jam · fork · clip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. fan — a supporter
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. firm — steady
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — a company
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mark — a grade
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fork — in a road
  18. clip — for paper
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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