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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. root — of a plant
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — to trim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lean — thin
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. file — a tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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