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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bound — obliged
  5. chip — to eat
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lean — thin
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — certain

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