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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — a practice
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. snap — to click
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — the animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stem — to come from
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. drill — the tool

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