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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: ground · stick · prune · race · ruler · season · pitcher · staff

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — crushed
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. staff — a stick
  12. race — humankind
  13. ground — a position
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ground — the earth
  16. season — in sport
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. race — a contest
  24. season — of the year

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