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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fall — to drop
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fall — the season
  16. object — an aim
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — an injury
  23. object — to protest
  24. wound — an injury

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