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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — to come down
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — a country
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hand — help
  10. land — ground
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. season — of the year
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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