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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · pass · mark · shower · spell · bear · last · prune

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — a short time
  8. last — to go on
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. prune — to trim
  17. last — final
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. last — finally
  20. shower — rain
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pass — a permit
  24. prune — to trim

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