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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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — high quality
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wound — an injury
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — all right
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bound — certain
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wound — an injury
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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