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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. content — happy
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. content — the amount
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. current — happening now
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. prune — to trim
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wake — before a funeral

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