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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: squash · ruler · face · prune · roll · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — to point toward
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. roll — a cake
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. face — to confront
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — to trim
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ruler — for measuring

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