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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 116 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: kick · sharp · rock · can · prune · rule · perch · mark

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mark — a grade
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rule — government
  5. can — a tin
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rock — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — in football
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — to be able to
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. sharp — clever
  22. perch — the fish
  23. can — a tin
  24. sharp — exactly

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