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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: prune · cue · rule · ruler · fine · track · racket · hide

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — a law
  4. cue — a hint
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. track — a song
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cue — a signal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — all right
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — government
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — a monarch

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