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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — in music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. prune — to trim
  6. last — finally
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. spell — magic
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. last — final
  20. scale — size or range
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spell — letters

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