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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: spell · ruler · racket · nail · prune · file · rule · bowl

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. spell — letters
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — magic
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — a law
  22. file — a tool
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rule — to rule out

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