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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
468
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: prune · ball · rash · trunk · fork · ruler · current · chip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. rash — hasty
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fork — in a road
  7. current — of water
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rash — a series
  10. current — electric
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — happening now
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a great time
  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