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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mine — for digging
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cue — a hint
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. race — a contest
  21. cue — for pool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mug — a face

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