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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. race — humankind
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — an aim
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. race — a contest
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. object — a thing
  22. prune — to trim
  23. object — to protest
  24. wake — a trail

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