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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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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: pass · ruler · prune · cabinet · snap · last · drill · fall

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. last — final
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fall — to drop
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fall — the season
  14. drill — army training
  15. prune — to trim
  16. snap — to click
  17. last — to go on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. last — finally
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pass — to spend time

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