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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: rash · prune · trunk · row · cap · mark · stick · ruler

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rash — a series
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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