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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pound — a weight
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wind — moving air
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wind — moving air
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — to point toward

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