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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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Word bank
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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: current · rule · prune · mark · object · sharp · foot · tube

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. mark — a trace
  5. sharp — clever
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rule — government
  9. object — to protest
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. current — electric
  13. tube — the underground
  14. prune — to trim
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tube — a container
  17. current — happening now
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. current — of water
  23. rule — a law
  24. sharp — exactly

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