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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — a hint
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — crushed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cue — for pool

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