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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. present — there
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — a gift
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wake — a trail
  17. prune — to trim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. drill — army training
  22. can — a tin
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. present — the time now

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