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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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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 · straw · ruler · snap · rule · mug · rock · leaves

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rock — music
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mug — a face
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rock — a stone
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rule — a law
  23. snap — to click
  24. leaves — lets stay

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