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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: pop · nail · object · suit · game · rule · prune · arm

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rule — government
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — soda
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pop — music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a match
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — an aim
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. game — wild animals
  17. object — a thing
  18. suit — clothes
  19. object — to protest
  20. rule — a law
  21. pop — to visit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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