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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — the time now
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. toast — bread
  10. kid — to tease
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. branch — a division
  15. kid — child
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spell — magic
  18. present — a gift
  19. object — a thing
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. branch — of a bank

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