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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 · lie · firm · last · cue · ruler · pop · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. last — final
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. last — to go on
  12. firm — decided
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cue — a hint
  16. firm — steady
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — finally
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pop — soda
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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