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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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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: clip · rock · dip · prune · temple · hand · sharp · ruler

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. clip — to cut
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. clip — for paper
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rock — music
  9. hand — in cards
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. sharp — clever
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. prune — to trim
  19. clip — a video
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — a stone

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