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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stand — to bear
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. clip — to cut
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. clip — a video
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wax — to grow
  24. suit — in cards

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