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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · fine · spell · prune · mine · rash · tube · ruler

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tube — a container
  3. fine — high quality
  4. row — to paddle
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rash — a series
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. row — a line
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fine — all right
  12. spell — magic
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — letters
  18. rash — hasty
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mine — for digging
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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