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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: bound · ruler · game · kick · prune · pit · mug · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — a cup
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bound — certain
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — a match
  15. mug — to rob
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. prune — to trim
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. kick — in football
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bound — tied together
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mug — a face

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