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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 · wax · cue · ruler · bank · track · perch · cell

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. track — a song
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — for money
  9. perch — the fish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. track — a path
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. wax — to grow
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cell — in biology
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  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