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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spell — magic
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fork — in a road

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