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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: ruler · rest · dip · prune · game · key · arm · firm

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. firm — a company
  5. key — the most important part
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. key — for a lock
  13. firm — decided
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — steady
  20. key — in music
  21. rest — a break
  22. game — a match
  23. dip — a sauce
  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