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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: mark · bowl · prune · club · lean · rush · sharp · ruler

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — a group
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. club — for golf
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lean — thin

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