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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.

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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. present — the time now
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fall — the season
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. present — there
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fall — to drop
  16. present — a gift
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wax — to grow

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