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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. season — in sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — of the year
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rest — what's left
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. craft — boats

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