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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: saw · bay · drill · straw · ruler · clip · prune · net

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — army training
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — after costs
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — for paper
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. clip — a video
  17. drill — the tool
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. net — for catching
  20. prune — to trim
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. clip — to cut
  24. drill — a practice

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