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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. snap — to click
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wake — a trail
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stand — to bear
  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