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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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — to trim
  3. row — a line
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. firm — decided
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. last — finally
  14. firm — steady
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. rest — a break
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — a stone
  21. firm — a company
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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