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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. hand — in cards
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pound — a weight
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hand — help

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