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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · spell · hide · trunk · firm · ruler · patient · mug

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. mug — to rob
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. spell — letters
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spell — magic
  7. clip — a video
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. firm — decided
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. clip — for paper
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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