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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: ball · ruler · key · prune · fine · rash · wind · mouse

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fine — all right
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rash — a series
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — a monarch

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