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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: lash · pound · clip · band · key · file · temple · ruler

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. band — a music group
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a line of people
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. band — a ring
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. clip — to cut
  14. file — a document
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. key — for a lock
  19. file — a tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. key — the most important part
  22. clip — for paper
  23. key — in music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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