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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: prune · wave · ruler · pitcher · mark · bark · roll · stand

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mark — a grade
  20. roll — a list
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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