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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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Word bank
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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: bulb · ruler · temple · clip · board · fork · branch · face

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a committee
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. clip — to cut
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fork — in a road
  17. face — to confront
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — a division
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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