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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: mate · ruler · straw · suit · kick · prune · lean · dip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kick — in football
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — to trim
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lean — thin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mate — a friend
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mate — a partner
  24. dip — to sink

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