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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 120 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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. firm — a company
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cue — a hint
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — of the year
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — in sport
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — to trim
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. firm — steady
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. calf — a young animal

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