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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. swing — in golf
  6. prune — to trim
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. capital — money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. capital — a city
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fine — all right
  24. prune — the fruit

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