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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. row — a line
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. squash — the sport
  8. row — to paddle
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — to crush
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. prune — to trim
  23. scale — size or range
  24. squash — the vegetable

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