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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — a grade
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. march — the month
  12. vault — a safe
  13. march — the month
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. march — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mark — a trace
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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