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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: stand · row · prune · tube · ruler · mouse · fan · stick

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. row — a line
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. row — to paddle
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. prune — to trim
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — a container
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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