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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.

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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: sharp · clip · dip · ground · ruler · stick · deal · bat

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ground — crushed
  8. clip — for paper
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ground — a position
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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