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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. foot — a measure
  9. track — a song
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. current — happening now
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. current — electric
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. current — of water
  18. wax — to grow
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. track — a path
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. foot — the bottom

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