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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: face · cap · sharp · clip · stick · board · ruler · can

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cap — a lid
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. face — part of the head
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. can — to be able to
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. clip — to cut
  19. face — to confront
  20. can — a tin
  21. clip — for paper
  22. board — a committee
  23. clip — a video
  24. cap — a hat

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