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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spring — of water
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. firm — steady
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — decided
  8. spring — the season
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — a coil
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. firm — a company
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. current — of water
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — happening now
  21. track — a path
  22. rock — music
  23. current — electric
  24. ruler — a monarch

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