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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. prune — to trim
  6. shower — rain
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. field — for sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. track — a path
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitcher — a jug

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