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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: rush · ruler · stock · rest · row · degree · current · prune

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rest — what's left
  3. row — a line
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — happening now
  10. rest — a break
  11. current — of water
  12. prune — to trim
  13. row — to paddle
  14. rush — hurry
  15. degree — an amount
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — goods
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. current — electric
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — temperature

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