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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. march — the month
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. march — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — a position
  17. march — the month
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — music

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