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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: wound · ruler · kid · jam · fan · club · prune · lean

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. prune — to trim
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lean — thin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kid — child
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lean — to bend
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. wound — an injury

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