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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fine — high quality
  8. spring — of water
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — a song
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spring — the season
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. track — a path
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ruler — a monarch

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