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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 120 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 · current · firm · wound · ruler · press · calf · fork

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — to trim
  4. firm — decided
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. firm — steady
  16. press — to push
  17. wound — an injury
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — in a road
  22. firm — a company
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — electric

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