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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: bay · rash · cap · cell · suit · prune · wake · ruler

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. prune — to trim
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cap — a hat
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cell — in biology
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a lid
  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