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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a great time
  19. snap — to click
  20. chair — a leader
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. key — in music
  24. lean — thin

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