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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.

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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: prune · rush · ruler · cap · firm · chip · last · scale

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. last — final
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — a company
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. last — finally
  17. firm — steady
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. last — to go on
  22. cap — of ice
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — size or range

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