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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pound — a weight
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. chair — a leader
  17. game — wild animals
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. game — a match
  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