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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. clip — to cut
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cap — a lid
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. clip — a video
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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