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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — completely
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stock — goods
  16. wax — to grow
  17. tube — a container
  18. stock — shares
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stock — a soup base

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