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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — to push
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. snap — to click
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spell — letters
  13. wound — an injury
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — magic
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. press — newspapers
  24. spell — a short time

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