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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: rest · prune · key · bore · toast · swing · rule · cue

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. key — for a lock
  6. toast — bread
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cue — for pool
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cue — a hint
  15. key — in music
  16. swing — music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rule — government
  24. prune — to trim

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