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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — a law
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rule — government
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pass — a permit
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rest — a break
  24. wax — in the ear

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