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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.

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: mark · clip · squash · ground · spring · straw · suit · ruler

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. spring — of water
  11. ground — a position
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spring — the season
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. clip — for paper
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. squash — the vegetable

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