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

Word bank: wake · prune · ruler · drill · stem · chest · pass · wave

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — a permit
  18. drill — army training
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. prune — the fruit

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