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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hand — in cards
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bound — certain
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. roll — a list
  21. hand — help
  22. roll — a cake
  23. can — to be able to
  24. coach — a trainer

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