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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. chest — a box
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — moving air
  8. track — a song
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fork — in a road
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chest — of your body
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fork — to eat with

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