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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 116 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: nail · deal · pitcher · clip · cap · face · ruler · object

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. face — to confront
  5. clip — to cut
  6. face — to point toward
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — of ice
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — a video
  17. object — a thing
  18. clip — for paper
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. object — an aim
  24. deal — to handle

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