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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: ruler · fan · prune · spell · racket · pit · kick · rock

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spell — letters
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — in football
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rock — music
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. spell — magic
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — to move gently

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