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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. land — to come down
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. key — in music
  16. land — a country
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stem — to come from
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitcher — a jug

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