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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — a gift
  3. prune — to trim
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. present — there
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. fine — all right
  8. present — the time now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. degree — temperature
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fine — high quality
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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