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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mug — to rob
  3. prune — to trim
  4. court — of law
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. band — a music group
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. prune — to trim
  20. band — a ring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. band — a rubber band

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