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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: key · prune · court · rule · bank · roll · lash · firm

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. roll — a cake
  5. key — in music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. rule — government
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. court — of a king
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. roll — a list
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. firm — decided
  17. rule — a law
  18. firm — steady
  19. bank — of a river
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. prune — to trim
  24. court — for sport

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