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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. swing — music
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rash — a series
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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