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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wound — an injury
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. prune — to trim
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a trace
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. coach — a trainer

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