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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 · ruler · hand · racket · mouse · deal · snap · file

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. deal — to handle
  9. file — a document
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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