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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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. land — a country
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. land — to come down
  7. prune — to trim
  8. land — ground
  9. suit — to fit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bass — the fish
  14. key — in music
  15. cold — an illness
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bass — low music
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cold — not warm
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wave — with your hand

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