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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: nail · deal · prune · rock · bound · rule · firm · perch

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — music
  4. rule — government
  5. perch — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. firm — a company
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. firm — steady
  19. bound — certain
  20. firm — decided
  21. bound — obliged
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. perch — for a bird

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