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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: foot · prune · chip · ruler · lie · fine · pass · stem

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. fine — all right
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — high quality
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pass — a permit
  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