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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 · track · drill · prune · pitcher · bulb · mouse · rule

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. drill — a practice
  13. track — a song
  14. drill — army training
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bulb — for light
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rule — government
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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