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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tear — from crying
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — a stick
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. staff — employees
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a hole
  18. can — to be able to
  19. drill — a practice
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. drill — army training
  24. staff — employees

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