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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. prune — to trim
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rush — hurry
  8. face — to point toward
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to confront
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fork — in a road

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