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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: tear · root · ruler · clip · cap · wake · wind · nail

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. root — the cause
  9. tear — to rip
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cap — a lid
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cap — a hat
  14. clip — a video
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. clip — for paper
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. root — of a word

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