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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. swing — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — in golf
  13. snap — to click
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wax — for sculpting

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