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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. prune — to trim
  10. net — for catching
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. net — after costs
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — in sport

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