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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — a series
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — in control
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. tube — the underground

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