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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — to trim
  4. spell — letters
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kid — child
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. kid — to tease
  17. prune — to trim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spell — magic
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stand — to bear

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