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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: ruler · cell · stock · prune · object · tube · rest · key

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. object — an aim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. object — a thing
  5. cell — in biology
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. prune — to trim
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — in music
  12. object — to protest
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rest — a break
  24. tube — a container

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