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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. degree — temperature
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wind — moving air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. spell — magic
  23. degree — an amount
  24. spell — letters

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