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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: prune · nail · club · ground · foot · ruler · squash · pit

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ground — a position
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ground — the earth
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pit — a hole
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — a measure
  20. squash — to crush
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ground — crushed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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