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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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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: pop · mouse · track · clip · staff · arm · ruler · mug

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pop — to visit
  4. clip — to cut
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. track — a song
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. track — a path
  14. staff — employees
  15. clip — a video
  16. pop — music
  17. clip — for paper
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — soda
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — to keep track
  24. staff — a stick

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