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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. prune — to trim
  9. firm — a company
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — decided
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — in control
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitch — completely
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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