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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: scale · prune · rule · dip · mine · cue · plane · rest

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. dip — to sink
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mine — for digging
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — a break
  20. rule — a law
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rule — government
  23. cue — a hint
  24. scale — in music

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