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

Word bank: prune · craft · mouse · rush · cell · ball · tube · drill

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. drill — army training
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — a skill
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cell — a phone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — boats

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