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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rock — a stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — music

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