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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: lie · foot · ruler · prune · bulb · cap · snap · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lie — to recline
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cap — of ice
  21. snap — to click
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lie — an untruth

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