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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. craft — a skill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — boats
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tear — from crying
  13. board — a committee
  14. date — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tear — to rip
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. tear — from crying
  24. prune — to trim

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