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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: stick · bear · rule · ruler · deal · wave · clip · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mug — to rob
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. clip — a video
  10. rule — a law
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mug — a face

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