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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tear — to rip
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — in cards
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — letters
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ball — a great time
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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