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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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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: last · staff · bank · cap · foot · prune · ruler · can

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — of a river
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — a hat
  6. last — to go on
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — of ice
  17. last — final
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — a lid
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — for money
  24. can — a tin

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