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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: fine · ruler · pitcher · prune · face · toast · key · chest

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. face — to point toward
  3. key — in music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. chest — of your body
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — all right
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chest — a box
  24. pitcher — a jug

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