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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 116 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: land · bank · deal · bear · suit · clip · ruler · straw

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — to come down
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — to handle
  8. land — a country
  9. bear — the animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — ground
  16. clip — for paper
  17. suit — clothes
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. clip — a video

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