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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 116 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: ruler · last · pitch · prune · bat · cue · tear · safe

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — to go on
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — a signal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. last — finally
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — for pool
  19. last — final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bat — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  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