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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rash — hasty
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a hat
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chair — a leader
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ball — a dance
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — a lid

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