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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — a signal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. sharp — clever
  5. track — a path
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — for pool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. firm — a company
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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