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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — to protest
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. prune — to trim
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. object — a thing
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. object — an aim
  24. prune — the fruit

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