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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. scale — in music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. hand — in cards
  11. current — happening now
  12. date — the fruit
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. prune — to trim
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — size or range
  22. hand — help
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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