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

Word bank: arm · dip · wave · foot · wind · prune · ruler · pit

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. prune — to trim
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. prune — to trim
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. dip — to dunk

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