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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bound — tied together
  6. object — an aim
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. object — to protest
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bound — certain
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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