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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: fine · squash · prune · rule · dip · club · rush · pound

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rule — government
  6. dip — to sink
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. club — a group
  10. fine — all right
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. club — for golf
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rule — a law
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — to hurry

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