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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: row · ruler · race · wave · wake · prune · date · season

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. race — the arms race
  6. row — to paddle
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — a line
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. race — humankind
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. season — in sport
  19. date — the fruit
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. race — a contest
  24. season — of the year

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