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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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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lean — thin
  4. suit — to fit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pound — a weight
  9. squash — the sport
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — in cards
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. firm — steady
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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