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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: ruler · wave · clip · arm · band · club · scale · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — to cut
  6. scale — size or range
  7. club — a group
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. scale — in music
  12. band — a music group
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. clip — a video
  17. band — a ring
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fall — to drop

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