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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — decided
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tube — a container
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. spell — magic
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — a company
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — steady
  23. mate — to breed
  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