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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: clip · rule · ground · pop · rest · can · deal · mug

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pop — music
  5. ground — a position
  6. can — a tin
  7. clip — for paper
  8. ground — the earth
  9. clip — a video
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ground — crushed
  12. can — a tin
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a face
  17. pop — soda
  18. rule — government
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rule — a law
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — to be able to

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