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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. degree — from a university
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rule — government
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stand — to bear

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