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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. firm — a company
  3. prune — to trim
  4. drill — army training
  5. file — a tool
  6. pop — music
  7. firm — steady
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — soda
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a document
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mate — a friend
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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