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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — a law
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pop — to visit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. scale — size or range
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — government
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. ball — a dance

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