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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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468
Word bank
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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rule — government
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kid — to tease
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mate — a friend
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. can — a tin

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