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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bound — obliged
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. branch — a division
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — music
  9. current — of water
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — certain
  16. current — happening now
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. march — the month

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