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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: ruler · race · pop · firm · game · staff · lie · prune

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. firm — a company
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. race — humankind
  5. pop — soda
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. game — a match
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pop — music
  13. firm — decided
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. staff — a stick
  20. game — wild animals
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — to recline
  23. race — a contest
  24. pop — to visit

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