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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lean — thin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — a break
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. prune — to trim

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